1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to disk drive systems and more particularly to processes for achieving optimum head position in order to overcome problems of disk misclamping and imperfections.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In electronic computer technology, it is common to store data in binary form on the face of a rotatable disk. The face of the disk is coated with a magnetizable substance such as iron oxide. The disks are operated by rotating them like phonograph records and the binary data is retrieved from the face of the disk by a movable magnetic transducer device called a read/write or transducer head. The binary information is encoded on the face of the disk in concentric rings, called tracks, and the read/write head can move radially along the disk face to select a particular track from which to retrieve information. Data disks can be rigid or flexible.
The flexible disks have some inherent problems. When the flexible disk is inserted into a disk drive, the disks may be misclamped at a point which is off center. This creates a once per revolution variation in the position of the track and prevents the head from accurately following the track. Similarly, humidity and temperature changes can elongate the disk and cause a twice per revolution track variation. There is a need for a process for enabling a disk drive to locate the head at an optimum position in order to read the disk under these conditions.